TOWN SHORTLISTED FOR BUILD IT AWARDS.

TOWN is delighted to have been shortlisted in two categories for the forthcoming Build-It Awards, the foremost awards ceremony for the self- and custom build industry.

Since 2013, the annual Build-It Awards, have celebrated the best of the self build and custom build housing industry. They recognise excellence across the sector, including projects, designers, developers and councils leading the promotion of self build and custom build in the UK.

This year, TOWN and Marmalade Lane have been shortlisted in two categories for the Build-It Awards.

Firstly, Marmalade Lane is one of three projects shortlisted in the Best Collective or Group Self Build category, recognising projects that have been brought forward not by individuals but by groups of people working together to jointly develop a housing project.

The second category in which TOWN is shortlisted is for Best Custom Build Project or Model. TOWN’s Custom Build model, which has been developed and deployed at Marmalade Lane, gives purchasers the opportunity to select a ‘shell’ dwelling type that can be configured and customised inside and out to meet the needs of a purchaser or future resident.

It is a sign of the strength of the industry that the competition in both categories is fierce. In the best project category, Marmalade Lane is up against OWCH (Older Women’s Cohousing)– the now-completed cohousing development for women over 50 in High Barnet, which was already this year names overall winner at the Housing Design Awards. TOWn had the opportunity to visit OWCH and meet some of its residents early this year. Also shortlisted is the RUSS (the Rural Urban Synthesis Society) which is delivering affordable, co-designed homes in Lewisham.

Meanwhile, in the best Custom Build Project / Model category, TOWN’s custom build model faces competition from Graven Hill (the UK’s largest custom-build project, led by Cherwell District Council), last year’s category winner Potton Homes, and ZeroC (the developer behind much of Poundbury).

So, while it’s great for TOWN to have been shortlisted for these awards, it is even more exciting to among such strong competition. It demonstrates how quickly the self build and custom build sector is evolving, the growing band of developers who are engaging with it, and identifies a number of fascinating projects which are helping to change the way we think about housing development.